Joint Climate Action Plan released

The inaugural Manawatū-Whanganui Joint

Climate Action Plan has been released.

Co-chair of the Manawatū-Whanganui Climate Action Joint Committee, and Horizons Regional Council chair, Rachel Keedwell, says the plan aims to clarify various councils’ role in addressing climate change impacts in the Horizons Region to build thriving communities and preserve and enhance the environment. “Development of the plan brought together the region’s councils and tangata whenua. Mayors of each city or district council [including Whanganui District Council], seven tangata whenua members and myself, on behalf of Horizons, participate in the committee.

“The plan contains recommendations to councils including incorporating climate change impacts into planning processes, agreeing on areas where councils can work together, and talking to communities about potential impacts of climate change in the region.

“Each council in the region will need to consider how climate change is going to be addressed in each district and implement the recommendations in the plan,” Rachel Keedwell says. “This should lead to individual council actions plans being created that provide a greater level of detail. Communities can expect to see those actions reflected in upcoming longterm plans.”

Rachel Keedwell says the plan is timely as climate change is happening now and will affect the region’s whānau, farms, businesses and communities.

“We need to work together to make positive changes for our region to lessen the impact of climate change. This plan is a collaborative effort towards that goal.”

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